Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-09-09
ALLAN QuARTERNAIN.
A BROWNING CITY.

s. gals or battle-axeS, they afford the most
valuable protection, being, if well made,
quite invulnerable to them. | have often
thought that If only the English govern
ment had in our savage wars, and more
especially in the Zulu war, thought fit to
serve out light steel shirts, there would he
many a man alive to-day, who, as it Is, is
dead and forgotten.
To return: on the present occasion we
blessed our foresight in bringing these
shirts, and also our good luck, in that they
had not been stolen by our rascally bear
ers when they bolted with our goods. AS
Curtis had two and, after considerable de
liberation, had made up his mind to wear
his combination one himself-the extra
three or four pounds weight being matter
of no account TO so strong a man, and the
protection afforded TO the thighs being a
very important matter TO an individual not
armed with n shield Of any kind Sug-
gested that he should lend the other TO
UmslopOgaas, who was to share the dan
ger and the glory of his post. He readily
consented, and called the Zulu, who came
bearing Sir Henry's ak, which he had now
fixed up 10 his satisfaction, with him.
When he showed him the steel shirt, and
explained to him that he wanted him 10
wear it, he Mt first declined. saying that he
had fought in his own skin for thirty years,
and that he was not going to begin now to
fight in an iron one ThereupOa ! took a
heavy spear, and, spreading the SHIRT upon
the floor, drove the spear down upon 1t
with all my strength, the weapon rebound
ing without leaving a mark upon the tenn
pered steel. This exhibition half converted
hin, and when pointed out 10 him how
necessary il was that he should not let any
oldfashiOncd prejudiCes he might possess
stand in the way Of prcCautiOn that
might preserve valuable life at time
when men were scarce, and also that If he
wore this shirt he might dispense with n
shield, and so have both hands free, he
yielded at once. and proceeded to invest his
great frame with the iron skin" And,
indeed, although made for Sir Henry, it
fitted the great Zulu like skin The two
men were almost Of n height; and, though
Curtis looked the bigger man, | am inclined
To think that the difference was more
imaginary than real, the fact being that,
although he was plumper and rounder he
was not really bigger, except in the arm.
Umslopogaus had, comparatively speaking,
thin arms, but they were as strong rs wire
ropes At any rate, when they both stood,
aX in hand, invested IN the brown mail,
which chung to their mighty forms like "A
web garment, showing the swell of every
muscle, and the curve of every line, they
formed "A pair that any ten mon might
shrink from meeting.
It was now nearly one O'Clock i'm the
morning, and the spies reported that, after
having drunk the blood of the oxen and
eaten enormous quantities of meat, the
Nasal were going TO sleep round the watch
fires; but that scntres had been posted mt
each opening of the kraal Floss.r. they
added, was sitting not far from the wall in
the center of the wcsters side Of the kraal,
and by her were the nurse and the white
donkey. which was tethered to Il peg. Her
feet were bound with n rope, and warriors
were lying about all round her.
AS there was absolutely nothing further
that could DO done then, we all took some
supper, and went to lie down for n couple
of hours | could not help admiring the
way in which old Umslupogaas flung him
self down upon the floor, and. unmindful
of what was hanging over him, instantly
sank into n deep sleep don't know how
it was with the others, but could not do
M much Indeed, rs is usual with mo on
these occasions, am sorry to say that |
felt rather frightened; and, now that some
OF the enthusiasm had gone ont of me, and
| began to calmly contemplate what we
had undertaken to do, truth compels mo to
add that did not like it. We were but
thirty men all told, Il good many of whom
were, no doubt, quito unused TO fighting
amt wa were going to tackle two hundred
and fifty of the tierCest bravest and most
formidable savagcs in Africa, who, to make
matters worse were protected by stone
wall. 1t was, indeed, "A mad undertaking:
and what made it even madder was the
exceeding improhablity of our being able
to take up our positions without attracting
tho notice of the sentries. OF course il we
once did that-and any slight accident,
such as the chance discharge of a gun,
might do tive were done for, for the
whole camp would be up in second and
our only hope lay in surprise.
The bed whercon lay indulging In these
uncomfortable reflections was near an open
window that looked ON the vcranda,
through which Came an extraordinary
sound Of Eroanirg and weeping. For
M could not make out what it was; but
at lp,; / Ent up, and, putting my head out
or the window. stared about Presently ]
saw n dim figure kuccling on the end Of
the vcranda and beating his breast in
which | recognized Alphonsc. Not being
able to understand his French talk, or
what on earth he was ut, called to him
and asked him what he was doing
All monsieur" he sighed, Il do mskc
prayer for the souls of those whom | shall
slay tonight"
Indeed, said; then | wish that you
would do it u little more quietly"
Alphonso rctreatcd, and heard no more
OF his groans And SO the time passed, till
Mt length Mr. Mackenzie called me in
whisper through the window, for, of course,
everything had now To be done I'm the most
absolute silence. "Three o'clock" he
said; 1--WE must begin 60 move ut half-past."
told him to come in, and presently he
entered; and | am bound to say that il it
had not boon that just then had not got
n laugh anywhere about me, should have
exploded at the sight he presented armed
for battle TO begin with, no had on n
clcrgymau's black swallow-tail, and kind
of road-rimmcd black felt hat, both of
which he had donned on account, he said,
OF their black color. In his hand was the
Winchester repeating rifle we had lent
him; and stuck in an elastic cricketing
belt, like those worn by English boys, were,
first, huge huckhorn- handled carving
knife with guard to II, and, next, long
Sarreled Colts revolver
'Ah my friend" he said. seeing me star
ing Mt his belt, you are looking ut my
carver thought it might comein handy
II we come to close quarters; it is excellent
steel, and many is the pig | have killed
with it"
by this time everybody was up and
dressing. l put on n light Norfolk jacket
over my mail sh,rt, in order to have a
pocket handy TO hold my cartridges, and
buckled on my revolver. Good did the
same, but Sir Henry put on nothing except
his mail shirt, steellined cap, and a pair
Of ''yeldt-schoons," or soft hide shoes, his
legs being bare from the knees down. His
revolver he strapped on round his middle,
outside the armored shirt
Meanwhile, Umslopogaas was mastering
the men in the square under the big tree,
and going the rounds to see that each was
properly armed, etc. At the last moment
we made one change. Finding that two OF
the men who were to have gone with the
freeing parties knew little or nothing Of
guns, but were good spearsmen, we took
away their rifles, supplied them with
shields and long spears of the Nasal pat
tern, and told them off to join Curtis, UNI
slopogaas, and the Askari in holding the
wide opening; it having become clear to
us that three men. however brave and
strong, were too few for the work
CHAPTER VII. A SLAUGHTER GRIM AND
GREAT.